Condition-indicating mechanism for signaling systems.



H. W. DOUGHTY. CONDITION INDIGATING MECHANISM FOR SIGNALING SYSTEMS. APPLICATION TILED SEPT.19.1912.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

2 SHEBTSfiSHEET 1.

Imam.

H. W. DOUGHTY.

CONDITION INDICATING MECHANISM FOR SIGNALING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED S EPT.19. 1912. 1,120,459.

mi n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

HERMAN W. DOUGHTY, OF BINGHAIMTON, YORK, ASSIG- NOR TO GEORGE O.

OONDITION-INDICATIHG MECHANISM! 130.3 SIGNALING SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

KNAIP, OF NEW YOERK,.N. Y.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed September 19, 1912. Serial No. 721,117.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN W. DOUGHTY, of Binghamton, Broome county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ConditionIn dicating Mechanism for Signaling Systems,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved mechanism and arrangement for causing indication at the central station of the condition of certain mechanisms associated at remote points with signaling systems.

In signaling systems, as for example in fire alarm systems, auxiliary circuits may be associated with various signal boxes in a line and connected with setting mechanism in the boxes, actuation of such setting mechanism putting the auxiliary circuits in operative condition. It is very essential for proper fire protection that these auxiliary circuits be maintained in proper operative condition. However, a setting mechanism may he accidentally unset so that the auxiliary circuit will be inoperative, and heretofore the central station would not be aware of such unset conditions until inspection had been made of the various auxiliarized boxes. It becomes very desirable to be .able to ascertain at any time at the central exchange what is the condition of the various setting mechanisms to thereby ascertain whether or not the auxiliary circuits are in service condition. It is very desirable that warning be given at the central station as soon as any setting mechanism accidentally becomes unset so that proper setting can immediately be made to" restore the auxiliary circuit to service condition. 4 V

In signaling mechanisms, such as fire alarm boxes, springs are usually used for driving the signaling train, and these springs must be kept in wound condition so that the box whenever pulled can operate to send in its signal. It may happen that through neglect or accident a spring will be entirely unwound or dangerously near unwound. In such cases it is very desirous that the central station be warned of the dangerous condition of the drivingspring so that the spring can immediatelybe wound and the box put into service condition. Other essential mechanisms, either in fire alarm systems or in other systems, may through accident or neglect come into such condition as would require attention and it becomes very desirable that the central station be immediately warned.

The main object of my invention is, therefore, to provide condition indicating mecha nism and arrangement for signaling systems which will cause warning indication at the central exchange as soon as certain mechanisms assume abnormal conditions.

Another important object is to provide condition indicating mechanism which is electrically controlled and which can utilize, as a means for sending warning signals to the central station, the conductors of the signaling systems which are to be protected, so that the installation of a condition indicating system will not involve much expense.

Another object is to provide condition indicating arrangement for the mechanism to be controlled which, when said mechanism assumes abnormal conditions, will efiect such current variation in the main signaling circuit extending through the central station that indicating or warning mechanism at the central station will respond to such current changes.

Another object is to so arrange the condition indicating mechanism that it will not interfere with the use and operation of the main signaling mechanisms and the main line for the signaling for which it is in tended.

The various features of. my invention and adaptations thereof are clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which dr'awings Figure 1 shows the various parts of a fire alarm box signalin mechanism together with setting mechanism for controlling the auxiliary circuit and condition indicating mechanism for controlling the indication at the central exchange of the condition of the setting mechanism and the auxiliary circuit; Fig. 2 shows a modified arrangement of the condition indicatin mechanism, and Fig. 3 illustrates adaptability of condition indicating mechanism to a signaling train and have applied. condition indicating'mechanism thereto, As shown, the auxiliary circuit A is in the form of a short or shunt path about the non-interference electro the box is pulled and the electro-magnet is energized, the armature structure will move the detent lever 23 to release the pallet mechanism 26 sothat the train S can operate the signal wheel 16 and signal contacts 18 and. 19 to send the box signal over the main line conductors L and L. Setting lever mechanism is also provided ,for controlling the auxiliary circuit A. This setting lever mechanism comprises the hub 46 pivoted on the shaft 45, the setting arm 49 extending toward the left from this hub, and the lever 47 extending upwardly from the hub being adapted to engage'with the crank pin 44 on arm 44 extending from the shaft 38 to which'the locking lever 38 is secured, a spring itending to swing the setting lever structure to carry the lever away from the pin. A detent lever 51, pivoted at an intermediate point,'is over-balanced or spring actuated to carry its right end into the path of pin 48 on the lever 47 when the setting arm 49 is raised, the left end of the detent lever being in the path of the main pull lever 42 and also in the path of the pin 53 on the signal wheel, so that when the setting mechanism is set, and the pull lever 42 is actuated or the train is started, the detent lever will be rotated to trip the setting mechanism. The downwardl extending end of the arm or lever 47 carries; a block 54 of insulating material through which extend upper and lower switch bars 55 and 56 for connecting, respectively, springs 58 and 59 and springs 60 and 61, which springs are mounted on the block 62. The arrangement of the springs is such that,when the, setting lever mechanism is set, the contact springs I 60 and 61 will be connected together by switch bar 56 to close the auxiliary circuit A, and the springs 58 and 59 will be disconnected from bar 55; anu so that when the setting mechanism is released, springs 60,

and 61 will be disconnected and springs 58 and 59 closed by bar 55. I

' In the system, as above described, when the arm 49 is raised and the setting mechanism set, the auxiliary circuit is closed and the electro -magnet winding substantially short-circuited so that although the'main locking lever 38 has been actuated to release the train upon setting of the auxiliary circuit controlling mechanism, the train cannot run as the electro-magnet cannot become energized to attract its armature structure.

As soon, however, as the auxiliary circuit is opened at any point, the short circuit is removed from the electro-magnet and the armature structure is actuated to release the train. As soon'as the-train starts, the pin 53 on the signal wheel engages the trip lever 51 and the setting mechanism is released and the auxiliary .circuit positively opened by disengagement of contact springs 60 and 61.

With the auxiliarized fire alarm mechanism above described, it is very desirable to be, able to ascertain at any time at the central station whether or not the auxiliary controlling mechanism is in set or unset condition so as to know'whether or not the auxiliary circuit A is operatively associated with the main alarm circuit. In my invention I associate condition indicating mechav nism with the setting mechanism and with the main alarm circuit which, whenever the auxiliary controlling mechanism is in unset condition through accident or neglect, will become operative to cause current variations in the main circuit so that a suitable instrument connected in the main circuit at the central station can respond to give warning of such unset conditions. As shown, this condition indicating mechanism comprises an electromagnet structure M having a winding w and an armature a. The windings'w of the various boxes in the main circuit are serially included in such circuit but each winding is normally shunted or shortcircuited so that its armature is retracted. As shown in the drawing, terminals of the winding w connect through conductors are and y with contact springs 0 and a normally engaged by the contact bar a so that the winding is normally short-circuited. In the signaling mechanism shown in-Fig. 1, the contact springs c and 0 may be mounted on the block 62 and the bar s may be mounted on the block 54 carried by the setting lever mechanism so that when the auxiliary circuit controlling mechanism is in setposition, the winding of electro-magnet M will be short-circuited, and as soon as the mechanism becomes unset this short-circuit will be opened and the winding w included serially in the main alarm circuit. The armature a of the electro-magnet M is connected with one terminal to the electro-magnet windin and the other terminal is connected with the stationary contact 6 adapted to be engaged by the contact f on the armature when the armature is attracted. Normally, when the setting lever is set and the short-circuit changes, may be included in the main cirrcuit, the receiver, if used, being preferably adjusted to give loud indication so that the central station attendants will immediately know'that at some box. on that particular line the auxiliary-circuit controlling mechanism has become unset, whereupon the line is gone over and the unset mechanism restoredto setconditioni Thu'sthe central station is warned as soon as auxiliary controlling mechanism'is unset or in abnormal condition, without the necessity of periodivfa-lly inspecting the various boxes on the 5 me;

In fire alarm boxes a tapper electro-magnet isusually provided for sounding the various signals sent over the line in which the box is connected. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1,- the condition indicating mechanism electro-magnet Mis' in addition to the tapper magnet. The tapper electro-magnet may, howevenbe utilized to act also as a controlling electro-magnet for the condition indicating mechanism; This electro-magnet is normal y operatively included-in the main alarm circuit and controls the short-circuit about itsel' f so that itsoperation and control for 'creatin condition indicating signals is 0 somewhat ifierent from the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 s'howsan arrangement where the tapper electro-magnet is utilized for condition indicating purposes and as shown, the winding of the electromagnet is normally includedserially in the main alarm circuit. The electro-magnet armature a carries a tapper bar t for sounding the gongu, and this armature also carries the contactspring'f' for engaging with a front contact 6 when the armature is attracted, the spring gtending to move the armature to retracted position. The'contact spring f connects with one terminal of the electro-magnet and the-contact e is con- 35 nected through the conductor :11 with the switch spring 0, 1 the companion switch spring 0 being'connected by conductor y with the other terminal of the electro-magnet. If this condition indicating mechanism 0 is applied to the auxiliarized alarm signaling mechanism shown in Fig. 1', the switch s rings a and 0 may be mounted, as additional'sprin on the block 62, and an additional switc bar 8 may be mounted on the 66 adjusting lever 54 to cooperate with switch springs 0 and c to control the short-circuit f, w, y. The adjustment of the springs 0 and c is such that when the setting mechanism is set to connect the auxiliary circuit for service the bar 8 will be disengaged from 70 the switch springs so that the electro-magnet M will not be shorted and will remain quiesccnti'n energized condition while the main alarm circuit is closed, the contact spring f and contact 6 being in engagement during this condition. If, however, the setti" mechanism becomes unset, the bar sf wil connect the switch springs c and c. and the short circuit about the electr'o-magnet will be closed whereupon its armature. structure will immediately retract. However, upon, such retraction the short circuit is again broken by the disengagement of the spring f and contact 6. Upon such opening of the short-circuit the main. alarm circuit current will flow through the electro-ma'gnet and will reenergize it so that the short circuit 18 again closed. The result is that the electro-magnet armature is caused to vibrate rapidly and the resistance of the elec- 9o tro magnet winding will be. alternately included in and excluded from the main alarm circuit so that the indicating device 1- at the central station will sound the warning." This condition indicating operation of the tapper electro-magnet will not interfere with the sending of fire alarm signals over the main alarmt circuit, either from the box from which condition indicating signals emanateor from any other box in the line,'for as soon as the main alarm circuit is opened during the formulating of a fire alarm signal, the tapperelectro-magnets are all deenergized and all condition indicating mechanism short-circuits will be opened.

Instead of applying my invention for in dicating the condition of auxiliary circuit controlling mechanisms,,it could be applied for the indication of the position or condition of any othermechanism in fire alarm 'inal boxes, or police alarm boxes, or in any or structures. For instance, it could, be used in connection with a fire alarmbox to give indication at the central oflice as soon as the main-spring becomes run down sufliciently to require attention, and my inventionwould save periodical-trips over the various circuits to ascertain directly the condition, of the main springs. Fig. 3 shows.

the application of my invention for indieating the condition of a main spring such' as shown in Beach and Doughty Patent. No.

949,699, of February 15, 1910. As shown, actuatingmember-h is geared to the shaft 11 ofv the main spring 1'. The member k can ries a wedge point k of insulating material, which, when the spring becomes run down,

is carried by the member 72. to wedge apart the contacts 0 and c of the electro-magnet short-circuinwhioii is normally closed as in '130 the arrangement of Fig. 1. Thus, when the spring has become unwound and requires rewinding, the shunt circuit is automatically opened and the electro-magnet M becomes effective to send signal impulses over the main line to be preferably audibly manifested at the central station. In a similar manner, indication can be given at'the cen-' tral station of the con 'tion or position of any other mechanisms in fire alarm or other systems so that immediately upon the establishment of certain conditions, the central station will be notified.

A fire alarm circuit usually comprises a plurality of fire alarm lioxes, a number of which may be auxiliarized to control auxiliary circuits, and it might happen that accidental unsetting would occur at more than one of the boxes. My condition indicating system may be made selective by tuning the various condition indication controlling electro-magnet structures, '5. 6., the various armature structures can be adjusted to vibrate at different frequencies so that the indicating instrument, as for example, a receiver would sound in a different tone for the different frequencies. A plurality of indicating devices, each responsive to a different frequency could also be provided at the central exchange in each circuit so that upon operation of the condition indicating electro-magnet in any box on the line, only the correspondingly adjusted indicating def vice will respond, and if two or more condition indicatingelectro-magnets are operating at the same time, their corresponding indicating devices will respond. \Vith such an arrangement it can be ascertained immediately and definitely at what box the conditions have become abnormal and no time will be lost in restoring the box mechanism to normal.

By means of my invention, systems such as fire alarm systems are made much more efficient and reliable, any abnormal conditions being immediately indicated at the central station as soon as .they arise. With my invention applied to such systems, there is no need of periodical trips to the various boxes on the various circuits for directly ascertaining conditions there.

I do not, of course, desire to be limited to the precise application as described, or the precise operation or construction thereof, as changes and modifications are possible which will still come within the scope of my invention and I therefore claim the following:

1. In a signaling system, the combinatio of a main circuit including a source of current, an electromagnet having an armature, a short circuit for the electromagnet'controlled by the electromagnet armature, a second short circuit for said magnet independent of said armature, means for causing initial opening ofsaid second short circuit,- whereby said. armature will then be caused to vibrate to repeatedly open and close said armature controlled short circuit to cause repeated inclusion in an exclusion from said signaling circuit of the electromagnet having an armature and having a' winding connected w1th sa1d clrcuit for se:

rial inclusion therein, a short-circuit for said winding controlled by said armature, a second short circuit for said winding, a switch in said second short circuit, means controlled by the condition of said signaling mechanism for opening said switch whereby said armature will then be vibrated to repeatedly open and close said armature controlled short-circuit to cause said winding to be repeatedly included in and excluded from said signaling circuit, whereby current fluctuations are caused in said signaling circuit, and an indicating device responsive to such current fluctuations.

3. In a fire alarm system, a main alarm circuit extending from a central station and including a source of current, alarm signaling mechanism connected in said circuit, an auxiliary alarm circuit extending from said signaling mechanism to auxiliary stations, setting mechanism for controlling the operative association of said auxiliary circuit with said signaling mechanism, a condition indicating electromagnet having a winding serially included in the main alarm r circuit and having an armature, a short circuit for said electromagnet winding including said armature, means controlled by said setting mechanism whereby when said setting mechanism is in normal condition said armature including short-circuit is normally open, said short circuit being adapted to be closed upon movement of the setting mechanism to abnormal position whereby said armature will vibrate to cause said electromagnet winding to be alternately included in said signaling circuit and excluded therefrom, and an indicating device at the central station responsive to the current fluctuations caused by such inclusion and exclusion of said winding.

4. In a fire alarm signaling system, the combination of a main circuit extending from a central station and includin a source of current, main fire alarm signa ing mechanism included in said circuit, an auxiliary circuit extending ifrom said main alarm signaling mechanism to auxiliary stations, setting mechanism for controlling the.

operative connection ofsaid auxiliary circuit with said main signaling mechanism, a condition indicating electromagnet having a winding adapted for serial inclusion in said main signaling circuit and havingan armature adapted when attracted to short circuit said winding, switch mechanism controlled by said setting mechanism for connecting said winding in a stable condition when said setting mechanism is in position to operatively connect said auxiliary circuit with the main signaling mechanism, said switch mechanism being'adapted upon unsettingof said setting mechanism to connect said winding in an unstable condition to allow said winding to be alternately included in the signaling circuit and short circuited by the armature, and an indicating device at the central station responsive to the current fluctuations caused by said in clusion and exclusion of said. winding.

5. In a signaling system, the combination of a signaling circuit, signaling mechanism connected with said circuit, a movable member associated with said signaling mechanism, and condition indicating mechanism for indicating the condition of said movable member, said condition indicating mechanism comprising an electro-magnet having a winding and an armature and having controlling circuits controlled by said movable member, saidmovable member when in normal condition causing adjustment of said circuits to prevent indicating operation of said indicating mechanism, and said movable member when in abnormal condition effecting adjustment of said circuits to cause vibration of said armature to repeatedly connect with and disconnect from said signaling circuit the winding of said electromagnet thereby to cause current fluctuations, and an indicating device connected with said signaling circuit and responsive to such current fluctuations.

6. In a signaling system, the combination of a line circuit, transmitting mechanism capable of being conditioned for operation, means for releasing saidmechanism, means included in said circuit adapted to continuously cause current fluctuations on, but no openings in said circuit, only when said mechanism is not conditioned for operation, and receiving mechanism for said current fluctuations.

7. In a closed circuit fire alarm signaling system comprising transmittingand receiving stations'in which the transmitting stations are. provided with means for operating from a distance, means controlled by the mechanism of the transmitting stations for automatically disconnecting the distant operating means therefrom until manually re-v stored, and means adapted to continuously indicate such disconnection at the receiving station.

8. In a fire alarm system, in the signaling circuit of which current is always flowing except during the transmission of a signal, signal transmitting stations capable of ,being influenced from a distance to transmit their signal, a signal receiving station, and means included in the signaling circuit, operable by said current flow and adapted to continuously indicate at the receiving station that a signal transmitting station is not in condition to be influenced from a distance to transmit its signal.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, this 27th day of June A. D. 1912.

HERMAN W. DOUGHTY. Witnesses:

H. F. HOLTON, J. E. SEGAR. 

